In the 165th season of the CNT Drama programme, the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb will mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary production of Cyclops. Based on Ranko Marinković’s cult novel, the play premiered on 12 February 1976 in Kosta Spaić’s landmark adaptation and production, becoming one of the defining achievements of Croatian theatre.
To commemorate this exceptional milestone in the history of both the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb and Croatian theatre as a whole, and to honour the legacy of Ranko Marinković and Kosta Spaić, a special discussion programme will be held at the Theatre. Participants will include theatre scholar and dramaturge Matko Botić, film scholar Bruno Kragić, actors Rade Šerbedžija and Živko Anočić, and Head of Drama Tena Štivičić. The discussion will be moderated by theatre scholar Martina Petranović.
The programme will offer a unique opportunity to hear memories and reflections from the first actor to portray Melkior on stage, recalling the creation of the production and its extraordinary theatrical life. Participants will revisit Ranko Marinković’s longstanding connection with the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb and reflect on Kosta Spaić’s distinguished directing career. Particular attention will be given to the relationships between the novel, the stage production, the television adaptation and the feature film, as well as to the production’s reception among audiences and critics, its place in cultural memory and theatrical practice, and the continuing relevance of Marinković’s work today.
As an introduction to the discussion, the first episode of the television adaptation of the production, recorded for TV Zagreb in 1978 and directed by Petar Šarčević, will be screened. Following the programme, visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the current Theatre Pop-Up Museum exhibition, Drama 165, offering another perspective on the artists and creative forces behind this remarkable theatrical and cultural event.
